By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA- A senior legal practitioner, Mr. Ken Harries, on Tuesday, gave reasons why the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, would not be able to enforce the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that recommended her reinstatement.
According to the lawyer, having appealed against the high court judgment, it was wrong for the embattled lawmaker to attempt to invade the National Assembly on the pretext of enforcing the same.
Harries maintained that in the face of the pending appeal, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s action amounted to a resort to self-help.
“There are procedures for judgment enforcement. It is not for an individual to take the law into his or her own hands and create a crisis atmosphere on the pretext of wanting to enforce a judgment.
“How do you enforce a judgment that you have said you are not satisfied with, condemned, appealed and prayed the Court of Appeal to reverse?
“Assuming the judgment is still enforceable, has she complied with all the orders made against her, including that she pay N5million and publish public apology in two newspapers and her Facebook page?
“If she has failed to obey the same judgment by not complying with the orders made against her, what moral standing does she has to accused the leadership of the Senate of being lawless?
“Her lawyers should be in a better position to advise her to learn to be lawful and respect the rule of law. Whoever goes to equity must go with clean hands,” the senior lawyer added.
It will be recalled that the court had in the judgement that was delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, described as “excessive”, the six-month suspension the Senate slammed on the embattled lawmaker.
It faulted provisions of both Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring them as overreaching.
The court noted that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
While urging the Senate to review its Rules on suspension, the court stressed that since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative circle, the six-month suspension handed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was akin to pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.
Though the court recommended the reinstatement of the suspended lawmaker by the Senate, it however failed to issue a specific order to that effect.
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